All Car Servicing

All Car Servicing

Hi I would like to introduce myself. Working in the Garage and tyre and all Car Servicing business now for 40 years. So. worked for a couple of national tyre companies before starting my first business. Of course, I now own a company here in the UK called Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre. Blogging about anything to do with Car Servicing and their related products. Naturally, that will help my business. We are members of Point-S and MotorCodes and are also a Unipart Car Care Centre.

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Service Reminders Very Important- Than ever – Pellon Autocentre

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Service Reminders Very Important

Service Reminders Very Important

So, importantly, service reminders have always been our policy! MOT Testing reminders have also been one our priorities. Of course, computer technology and the appropriate software that accompanies it does help considerably. In the early days we would have to write everything down sometimes months in advance. However to be truthful we still do this to some extent.

This practice is invaluable when it comes to booking in MOT tests and car servicing. Especially, when it comes to sorting out the accumulation of testing slots! Due to the backlog caused by the governments cancellation of MOT testing during the recent Covid 19 crisis.

Unhappily we as a country are having to go into a second lockdown. Fortunately, we are one of the businesses who can stay open. Because we are considered as an important service to keep workers cars going and to carry out MOT tests on time. This advice also applies to people who are fortunate enough to have a company car.

Keeping your customers informed and up to date with their vehicle maintenance is seen as a valued service by customers and can be offered cost effectively nowadays. Using SMS and email is a convenient way to

Source: Opinion: Service reminders more important than ever – Garagewire

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New Diesel particulate filters Law-2014- makes Even more important to use the correct Oil

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New Diesel particulate filters Law

New Diesel particulate filters Law

Oil helps in reducing vehicle emissions

New laws are making car manufacturers vastly reduce the emissions of new models that they produce. One of the ways to do this is by fitting complicated exhaust after treatment units to their cars. It means that new low SAPS oil must be used to protect these units. New laws will be coming out in 2014 to reduce the emissions even further. For further reading  follow “Diesel net“.

Another large change that is now becoming more common is the development of the “extended service intervals”, this means that the car owner needs to use special long life oils must be used to meet the extra demands of the longer service intervals. Most service centers will have the computer technology to state the exact oil that the car requires, but things are becoming more difficult for the DIY motorists amongst us.

New Diesel particulate filters Law; Indeed by using the wrong oil in your car can cost you around £2500

For a new engine unit, this the average cost of a family sized saloon engine replacement. I am not trying to scaremonger, but the stuff in your engine is becoming more critical. The number of 5W-30 oil types now used on modern cars has increased dramatically; this is because of the number of reasons introduced by the car manufacturers.

Any motorist getting this wrong will end up in trouble and possibly a large bill. It is now getting more important to have your vehicle serviced at a reputable service center, even an engine service will be better than nothing, do not forget good service centers will have all the help from the oil companies to make sure that they get the correct product for their car. The wrong oils will block up your diesel particulate filter or poison your three-way catalytic converter, all at a terrible cost. Also do not forget to get the correct oil mix, for example, synthetic or semi-synthetic oils, or even diesel or petrol oils, all have different properties, so if in doubt have your car serviced by professionals, and don’t take the risk of a damaged engine.

 Pellon Auto Centre in Halifax offers to service at excellent rates.

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Vauxhall Corsa Fails MOT Test- Because of Worn Out Front Suspension.

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Vauxhall Corsa Fails MOT Test

The Vauxhall Corsa is indeed a very popular little car,

Especially with female drivers. The little car also makes a good city car, with very little problem when getting around town and parking. The Corsa is well known for its light steering;

(power steering) which makes the little car easy to maneuver and along with its good rear end visibility makes the car easy to park and is a favorite with the lady drivers.

The car was launched by Vauxhall in 1993 and has proved to be a very successful model for the giant car company. The car has also remained cheap to buy, both new and second hand. We recently purchased a Vauxhall  Corsa from one of our lady customers, to be used as one of our courtesy cars, and it has proven to be a little gem and popular with our lady drivers, who use the car when leaving their own car for servicing or repairs.

The Corsa has a few drawbacks

Size wise this car is not for the taller person. Also, the car is very cramped when driving with four adults, (two fronts and two rears). Additionally, they are also not very suitable for the out of town open road driving. Significantly, noisy due to road and engine noise. Also, they do not corner very well. Especially with a full car of adults.

However despite this the little super mini is very popular amongst younger people. As this is the first car than many first time drivers can usually afford , Corsa’s can be found at bargain prices and as I have said earlier the lady drivers love to drive them around town and they are easy to park.

The running costs of these little cars are one of its assets, the little 1.0 litre cars can do as many as 50 mpg and the diesel versions can come up figures of 60 mpg, making the car a good

choice for the economically minded driver. The insurance is also very low, most normal sized engine cars come into the lowest insurance groups possible. The Corsa is also cheap to service, making the car as I have said earlier cheap and economical to run, favouring the money conscious lady drivers and the young first time car buyers.

Vauxhall Corsa cars have had several factory recalls

These little cars are usually trouble free when it comes mechanical problems apart from the usual wear and tear items such as tyres, exhausts and suspension and brake parts, but there has been a few recall problems with cars between 2000 and 2006.

The following problems included, air bag problem due to faulty software, faulty seat adjustment catches and spring, causing the seat to move or not lock, steering wheel problems, the centre nut that holds the steering wheel in place was not tightened correctly causing the steering  wheel to wobble. The early Corsa had also cam-belt problems, they should be changed every 40,000 miles promptly, or a damaged engine could follow,

One of our long standing lady customers dropped off her car for a service and an MOT test. She said that the car was in excellent condition and should walk the test. Dale Linton tested the car and found that all sorts of things were wrong. The steering and suspension had lots of play in them, the car also had a broken spring and also failed the emissions test.

We always phone our customers before working on their car and we always save the old parts for them to look at.

The Vauxhall Corsa Fails MOT Test.  Requiring new front control arms (known as wishbones to some people). Including a new spring and a new lambda sensor. The lady said that she could hear some knocking coming from the front of the Vauxhall Corsa. When she drove over speed bumps, but did not think much about it. She gave us permission to complete the work. So, new control arms were fitted.

We know that you can fit new control arm bushes.  But this takes much longer and by the time you have removed the old bushes and fitted new ones. Of course, we can fit a complete new arm. The costs work out about the same because of the labour factor.

We fitted a new lambda sensor and a new spring. So, before MOT re-testing the Vauxhall Corsa and then servicing it. The car is now a far better ride than when she brought it in and the lady customer noticed this and thanked us for our great service.

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Anti-Lock Brake Systems- ABS- have been around for 20 years or more

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Anti-Lock Brake Systems

Anti-Lock braking systems -problems are now a common thing

So, one of the things that I am most proud about. Of course, been a garage owner ! Is when a customer contacts my garage for a brake problem sorting out? Subsequently, it appears not be the price that the person is worried about. Because they know how important it is to have good brakes on their car.

Before we remove the wheels to examine the brakes. So, generally we have a blank canvas to work from. We know that most cars that get to the stage of having practically no brakes! Then the braking system will be in pretty bad shape. Believe me they usually are.

Back in the old days! Then the cars brakes were a much simpler affair to diagnose and repair. Of course, with only the upper end of the market cars. Having any type of electrical modifications in order to aid  better braking. As in almost all the car developments. So, brakes were originally tested and tried on motorsport vehicles. Long time before been tried and tested on the average road cars. Including the beginning of the ABS braking systems! Importantly, that are in common use today.

At first Anti-lock braking systems only came out on the prestige cars such as BMW and Mercedes

but many drivers had not heard of them before, in fact we still get customers in today that do not know what it means when their ABS warning light comes on and has to be investigated. Twenty years ago many vehicles owners were given the option of having ABS brakes or not, similar sort of thing to fitting alloy wheels or steel wheels, they were an optional extra.

Anti-Lock braking systems work differently to a standard braking system

ABS brakes do act differently to a normal braking system. The main two advantages are that; when you are braking on a wet slippery road surface, or say on ice, then your car will stop quicker, this also applies to normal roads of course. Also the car will handle much better when the driver has to brake and steer at the same time, once again say in bad weather conditions, the car will handle much better that when using a conventional braking system.

In any normal driving situations such as stopping at traffic lights or at a road junction, then the Anti-Lock Braking Systems does not activate, but if you need to brake sharply and suddenly then the Anti-Lock Braking Systems will be activated and assist you in braking more safely.

The Anti-Lock Braking Systems sends out pulses of pressure instead of the single pressure that is asserted when braking a normal car. You can actually feel the pulses coming through the brake pedal when you have to assert pressure on to the brake pedal in an emergency stop. It is also important to note that if you do come across a bad situation caused by say snow or a non-tarmac road, then you will still have to slow down, your ABS system will not help you in such situations.

The main gaining point of Anti-Lock Braking Systems is that the driver has full control when braking and steering at the same time and can help the driver to steer away from danger; they prevent the wheel from locking, in certain conditions.

Practice your ABS brake system

In my experience it has always been a good idea to take your car and have a practice with the brakes if you are driving a car fitted with ABS brakes for the first time and get used to the different feel of the brakes when going straight and when steering.

The in cab ABS warning light may come on if there is a fault with the ABS system or the normal braking system. If the warning light comes on then you should have the brakes looked at as soon as possible. In our experience it is usually something simple such as a faulty electrical connection or even that the car needs a set of new pads. You can also find problems with Anti Lock Brake Sensors and other Anti Lock Brake Parts. Once the problem has been found and rectified the ABS warning light can be re-set with a computer.

Also sell Firestone Tyres online from our website www.pellontyres.co.uk. By using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. We offer courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work. Also an official MOT testing station who carry out checks for high standard of equipment and workmanship.

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Brake Juddering Causes-What is it?

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Brake Juddering Causes

Foot pedal vibrations lead to the brake juddering experience

So, one of the first signs of brake juddering problems. Firstly, is when you can feel a vibration coming through your foot pedal. Secondly, when you press the clutch pedal. So, to brake and stop your car. Some of our customers say that it was a long drawn out process. Eventually though the brake began to get worse. Including the vibrations starting to come through the steering wheel.

Unfortunately, some of our customers think that the vibration is a wheel balancing problem! We also have to check out the problem with a correct diagnosis. However a braking problem will usually come through the brake pedal. So then this is a sure sign of a brake problem.

Unfortunately, one of the main Brake Juddering Causes come from elderly drivers. Significantly, who always cover the brake pedal with their right foot. This applies to manual gear changes or automatic, they what I call “ride the brake” some drivers also do this with the clutch but that’s a different article to cover. What happens if you ride the brake? Well one of the problems is that you are applying extra pressure onto the brake pads that are constantly in contact with the brake discs (brake rotors in the USA). These in turn over heat the discs, and the discs then warp and go out of shape.

Brake juddering is a bigger problem in hilly areas

In my opinion though, driver fault is not the main reason for warped brake discs. I think that the main cause is the terrain. We here in Halifax are in a hilly area and we get a high occurrence of warped brake discs and brake juddering faults from our customers.

In areas where there is very steep inclines, then drivers are more likely to keep their foot on the brakes. Some of the hills in the Hebden Bridge area are like alpine passes with 180 degree bends to contend with. When you come down these roads you have to keep the car in a low gear and be prepared for a vehicle coming up the hill, without braking all the time.

This constant braking is what overheats the discs and causes them to warp and vibrate giving Brake Juddering through your brake pedal. Some garages have a machine that will skim the brakes and stop the vibrating, but I think that once they have overheating then they do not work to their full potential and there for a new set of pads and discs is the best option.

Improved brake technology

Over the years car manufacturers have brought in new technology to balance out the disc overheating problem and try to eliminate the Brake Juddering Causes. Including different metals that can stand more heat and also the disc parts

that now come out with holes drilled in the metal at calculated intervals, for heat dispersal. This can work very well; you can see brake discs actually glowing red hot on some motor sport cars when they have to brake very often at high speed, some can be seen to be glowing white hot in the dark.

This has the same effect as the regular car driven by a regular driver. So, try to avoid heavy braking especially at high speed.  Keep your distance and try not to brake heavily. When you are driving down a steep hill, use a low gear and use the car’s engine as a brake, try not to press the brake pedal constantly.

Have your brakes inspected at regular intervals when the car is serviced. Of course, any worn discs or pads will be picked up by the garage. Importantly, we can even spot a disc that has been overheated in the past.  Because the disc has a blue coloured sheen on it. Remember like many other things to do with a car, prevention is better than a cure.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and Car Brake Repairs to all makes of vehicles.

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Car Owners Ripped Off-Are they Really Getting Ripped off by Garages?

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Car Owners Ripped Off

Garages are becoming more transparent towards Car Owners

There are many recent reports about Servicing a Car and independent repair garages are ripping their customers off. I am not sure what these reports actually cover? Is it the one man band

operations, the larger independent garages or the main franchise dealers? Or are we all being “tarred with the same brush”.

I must admit though, no matter how you try in any trade, you will not please all of your customers and it depends how loud the disgruntled person is to how it may affect your garage. We can all try our best, but we are all going to get the “wrong customer at the wrong time”. I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing much you can do about these people, they probably have other issues that are affecting their personal lives and you are the one that they are taking it out of.

Garages should be aware of social media

Ten years ago we would have hit “a brick wall” with the customer that you just are not going to please whatever you do. I regard myself as a very calm person but when I have confronted some of these “raging” customers, then my blood has reached boiling point, and my blood pressure has hit the roof. I have built my garage and Business Plan on trust and have enjoyed customer loyalty beyond my wildest dreams. Over the years we have had whole families returning time and time again for their cars servicing and repairing.

Although it sounds like that we have many bad tempered and grumpy car owners, they are indeed far and few between, but when they come they can really hurt you. The big threat at the moment is to “expose “us on social media, especially on Facebook. This has happened once or twice now, but we just tell them to go ahead, we can defend ourselves and our reputation and I am sure that other people who know them will be familiar with how they behave.

How good is the training ?

Although some of auto press appear to be concerned about the level of training that our mechanics or technicians receive, (whatever we like to call them), then I am not so sure. I think that the whole education of young people has been watered down in recent years here in the UK and this includes the colleges where our young mechanics start off. Some like to think that this is progress and a new way of education, but looking back over the years I do not think that the levels of quality, have not dropped very much, if any.

The difference is that our apprentices now receive on the job training and assessments

In my own experience I think this works. I find that my staff will do the course work at home in their own time. Without much prompting. I remember when I was an apprentice (in the dark ages) I had to go to night school classes and hated it, now everything is more relaxed, providing the youngster does do the work that we ask of them.

This brings me back to having to raging customer. Consequently, facing the customer who may be out to get us. I firmly believe that part of all of staff training should be in customer care. These days the standards for caring for the customer and their cars have risen.

For young people who are just starting out in the garage trade. Perhaps and are starting their own business for perhaps the first time. Therefore should take this into consideration. Even if you are just a one man band or a mobile mechanic. So, you should look at some of my advice that I offer. Of course, as a successful garage owner of Pellonautocentre for twenty five years.

What garages can do to cushion the aggression?

1: One of the most important things. Of course, is that you and the members of your staff should be trained. Especially in the skill of “meet and greet”. This is the first thing we teach any of our staff. Believe me people have to be taught this skill. Just a basic “yes sir/Madam, how can help you” will be just fine. Even if you have got a hangover or just argued with your wife. This is the very basic polite response that your customer deserves and of course a smile. This also applies to answering the telephone, never let the phone ring out, train your staff to answer it politely, until a senior member of staff can take the call.

2: Escort the customer

To your reception/manager or whatever system your garage operates in. This is passing the customer onto the expert. Who will help the customer with any advice or problem that they may have. Too many businesses do not take any time out to perform these basic tasks. So they fly about with the customer in close pursuit trying to explain that they have a problem with their brakes. For my UK readers, (a good example of what not to do can be seen in the garage that Kevin owns in Coronation Street). No time sorry too busy attitude, will not build you a successful garage business.

3: Then you are prepared for that monster customer, with his huge problem.

I know that some of the larger garages. Such as main dealerships are trained to cope with these types of situations. But in general the small rage has to cope ! Whoever the unlucky member of staff is who has to deal with the matter. If you do not have a person who is trained to cope with these things. Of course, then you should take a deep breath. Asking the disgruntled customer to step somewhere out of the way, (this may upset other customers, who may be waiting for your attention).

4: Keep calm

may by do not take it personally. You must try to put yourself in the shoes of the customer, has he got a genuine reason to be annoyed with your garage.

Is the thing that is causing a dispute with your garage reasonable?

We have been accused of scratching a car on a couple of occasions, we know we didn’t do it but have come to some sort of compromise and kept the customer’s business try to keep in a conversation and not a “slagging match”. Resolving the dispute with the Car Owners is your ultimate goal.

5: perhaps finally,

If you feel that you are getting nowhere then “hit a brick wall “. Of course you must let the customer go away and think about what you may have offered them, or not. At this stage you may have lost the person as a customer anyway. But if you have been seen to try and resolve the situation, and then you have tried your best and move on to the rest of your day.

6: As the owner of the garage business

I have learned over the years that you should not interfere in the reconciliation process and try find which member of your staff has got the correct attitude and presence of mind to deal with this type of dispute, I usually find that your manager is best capable to handle this, even if you have to give them some form of advice and training.

I also hope that nay advice that I give will help young and future garage owners to enjoy and succeed in their future Car Garage business. more reading…http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/unhappy-customers.htm

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Suzuki Servicing neglected-Owner Misses out on Servicing causes a Bigger Problem

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No Suzuki Servicing could end up costing you a fortune?

This is not just one of my rants about car servicing but I think that it is important to give a few sad cases of what can happen, when the car owner neglects to have their Suzuki Servicing.

carried out at regular intervals.

We all should be having our Engine Oil checked at regular intervals, if your car’s engine is in good condition and operating correctly, then you should not have to use any oil to top up the engine. In my opinion there are a few variations to this theory and one of them is if you are traveling long distances at high speed. Then it would be possible that your car may need to have an oil check when you arrive at your destination.

Modern cars will have an Oil Level Warning Light but older cars may not, so it is best to check the level just to be on the safe side. In fact I had an experience myself on a recent trip to France. I drove my two year old Peugeot Partner van 700 miles to a Rufec in the Charente area of South West France. The following morning I went to the local supermarket for some odds and ends, when my oil level warning light came on, much to my horror.

I know that my staff had serviced the van before my journey

and I too checked the level before I set off on my journey. I stopped the van and turned off the engine so that the oil level is allowed to settle down, to get a correct oil level reading. Some dip-sticks are impossible to see, but mine was just below the minimum mark on the dip-stick. I was still in the supermarket car park and so I bought a two litre can of 10w-40 diesel oil (this is what the van used).

As I topped the engine up I kept checking the level, but found that the engine did not need much oil at all. I think some of the oil sensors are very sensitive, but your engine oil level is

very important, just as the young guy with the Suzuki Swift was about to find out. Another important piece of advice is, when you are topping the engine oil up again, then put the oil in a small amount at a time, it is just as important not to Overfill the engine with too much oil, this could cause too much pressure building up in the engine, causing all sorts of expensive repair work.

The Suzuki did not have any servicing for two years at least.

The only warning that he had, was when the car engine started to make very loud noises. Unfortunately, this was on the M62 motorway. Doing 70mph in the third lane. This was followed by a cloud of black smoke. Frighteningly,  followed by a complete loss of power. Luckily, the guy managed to manoeuvre the Suzuki across the carriageway and onto the hard shoulder.

He suspected the worse and called for recovery from a roadside assistance phone box on the motorway. The guy was either lucky or a very skillful driver! As I am convinced that this sudden loss of power is the cause of many motorway accidents.

The recovery truck brought the car into our garage in Halifax, Yorkshire . Urgently, we started the postmortem on the lifeless Suzuki. We checked on the history of the car on our computer system. Finding out that although the car had a few MOT tests over the past few years. We did not have any record of Servicing a Car. We asked the guy if he took the car to any other garage for his Suzuki Servicing. Frighteningly, he told us that we were the only place that the car had come to?.

The previous owner also brought the car into us

So, to be looked after it was at the Suzuki Dealers. Indeed the last service had been three years ago. The car was a Suzuki Swift 1.6 petrol 2007 model and looked in good condition! Apart from the engine.

It became obvious to Ryan Linton that the engine was completely gone. So, caused by a lack of engine oil starving the Big End Bearings due to lack of Servicing. That is to say also damaging the crank and much more.

The owner of the car was a 26 year old man. Consequently, who led a busy life and did not have time for his car. Hence a thing that is most common these days. As for the car we found that it would be more economical to fit a re-conditioned engine. With the whole job costing around £2500 to the customer.

The lesson to be learned is to have your servicing carried out at some sort of regular intervals. Finally, this guy is not the first and will not be the last. But look at the price that he had to pay in the end?.

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CAR BRAKES-New Ruling from EU coming soon? AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking)

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car brakes to be updated for improved road safety

This is one of those articles that can be difficult to write. Of course, due to complex and differing points of view. Firstly the ruling although not compulsory is aimed at the car manufacturers. So, to update their cars by the end of this year (2014).

My problem is that now I am getting on a bit! I am realizing that my concentration is getting a few seconds slower than when I was a younger man. A couple of years  ago I did a battery delivery to East Yorkshire. On a nice sunny clear day. Because of my passion for cars I am always looking out when I pass a garage or a parking lot. Just in case I see a vintage or classic car.  So that I can photograph it for my blog.

On this particular occasion I glanced away from the road as I passed an old Land Rover parked in a field. I was driving at about 40 mph and turned to look back at the road in front. To my horror the traffic had stopped ahead of me and I had to slam on the car brakes ! Of course, as hard as I could. Missing the car in front by a whisker. I was really shaken and further on I had to pull into a pub car park. Thus, to re-compose myself and thought of what could have been.

This incident and the fact that there are millions of other drivers

So, in the same position as me. Prompted me to reflect on the snippets that I had been reading about a new system that would be introduced in 2014. It was in the think tank stages of the Eu New Car Assessment Programme then or (Euro NCAP).

The system known as AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) will be expected to be fitted to new cars. Hence, by the end of this year (2014). The new technology will become part of the crash test assessment. So, cars that are not fitted with the AEB car brakes will not get the 5 star rating for road safety. Michaels Van Ratingen the secretary general of the Euro NCAP says…

“We don’t want to force the car makers into this immediately, but we’ve made it very clear that the best way to ensure a five-star rating from 2014 is to have AEB on the vehicle,”

He must be disappointed though because at the moment only just over 20% of new cars have the new system fitted.

Your car  will, be much safer with the new car brakes system fitted

The new brakes technology will reduce my quoter of near misses. Importantly, that I have nearly had in the past year. So and reduce the number of small bumper to bumper accidents and hopefully “whiplash claims”. It’s a new system that uses radar, lidar (laser) and also video technology. Happily, to warn the driver of an impending frontal collision. This must happen to all of us on the congested roads here in the UK. Before priming the brakes and eventually performing an emergency stop.

The new system is expected to save up to 8000 lives in the EU Countries alone, but not everyone agrees and thinks that better driver training (as in my case) would be a better option, he says…

“Although you are right to a small degree in that “advanced driver” are predisposed to better driving. Including the techniques they use are hugely influential. To prove my point.

I train learner drivers using the system of car control and commentary skills. In the last decade I have only had one pupil seriously injured in the two years after they passed their test. She was hit by a stolen car, traveling at double the speed limit, on the wrong side of the road and coming round a blind corner. I do not select my pupils by their predisposition to advanced driving, but I do train them to a much higher standard than is required for the driving test.”

In my opinion it will be the same problem as ABS car brakes.

It is alright if your car has them fitted. But not the other guy who doesn’t have them fitted. Until all cars have the new In my opinion it will be the same problem as ABS car brakes. It is alright if your car has them fitted. But not the other guy who doesn’t have them fitted. So, it is going to be a lottery of the does and don’ts. If a line of cars all have to slam on. You will stop because you will have the new car brakes system fitted. But the car at the back of you may not stop because he has not got the new car brakes system fitted.

All new rules and technology are going to help the motorists in today’s heavy traffic and I am all for safety measures that will help this cause. In my opinion this is a great idea. It will also save the future lives of some cyclists and pedestrians, so there is no reason to be negative about it. This is one of the best ideas to come out of the EU Parliament, amongst all the other rubbish that they dish out.

I am not sure if the car manufacturers will be using standard systems or doing their own thing, but as a garage owner I say “bring it on”. Brakes safety is one of my biggest promoted subjects and the AEB system, will be a great advantage to us in the long run when they are fitted to all cars as standard  

 For further reading… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/9429746/Auto-braking-a-quantum-leap-for-road-safety.html

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CAR OIL LEVELS- Check Them Regularly or your could find yourself in trouble?

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 Check Your CAR OIL LEVELS it makes sense?

This is one piece of good advice that I failed to carry out myself. So. I had driven to France on a short trip recently, in my Peugeot Partner Van, when the “Low Oil Level” light came on. Oh I thought this must be wrong?

I am always preaching to other people to check their car oil levels. Sure enough the vans oil level was below the minimum level on the dip-stick and I had two buy a two litre plastic tub of 5w-30 engine oil for diesel driven vehicles.

I also recommend car owners to take a small container of oil with them. Just in case that it is needed in some remote spot. Luckily I was near a supermarket. We usually recommend that you should change your oil about every three thousand miles. But this does not apply to all makes and models of car. Just remember it is better to be safe than sorry and a regular oil change is a safe option. Especially if you are a high mileage driver and perhaps use your car for your job.

Most good garages now use servicing guides that are computerised

We use a system that tells us all the service intervals, including car oil levels, oil changes and other important things such as the times to change your cars timing belt. We also refer to the owner’s service manuals, which gives us the correct intervals for changing your cars oil.

So, most of our customers that have servicing. Thus, will leave their car with us for the day. So, either take public transport back home or to work. Also, we have a small fleet of courtesy cars that are available for their use. If they live in fairly close proximity to the garage. Then we very often give them a lift. For instance we have a local college nearby and we are always giving the college tutors. Including, some of the older students a lift to work. Whilst they leave their cars for the work to be carried out.

There is doubt that it is also a good idea to learn how to check your own car oil levels in the car’s engine. You should learn to open the bonnet catch, it would surprise you how many of our customers cannot find the catch that will help them open their Old Cars bonnet (hood).

Check your own oil levels with the dip-stick

The second good thing to learn is; which is the “dip-stick” that tells you what your car oil levels is at the time of the checking. Your car manual will show you where it is on your car, but you can also ask your local garage to show you where it is located, I am sure that they will only be too pleased to help.

Once you have located the dip-stick you must take it out and give it a wipe with a clean cloth or tissue paper. Pop the stick back into its housing until you have pushed the stick right in, and then pull it back out slowly, so that you do not smudge the reading. On the stick there are two markings a minimum marking and a maximum marking. This is self-explanatory; just top the car oil levels up until you reach the maximum level. Do not exceed the max level, because this is as bad as having a low oil level. Having too much oil can cause extra pressure inside the engine and cause your engine to be damaged or even explode.

So keep an eye on your oil level and check it at regular intervals. Have your oil changed at regular intervals. When you are checking your own oil levels be careful to check it slowly and carefully and do not overfill the engine with excess oil. Also I would advise the driver to keep a small amount of the exact same oil that the garage filled your car with on a car  service, this can then be used for topping up purposes.

Most garages keep small containers of oil in stock especially for this purpose. Also make sure that the oil that you are topping up with is the

exact same viscosity as the oil in your engine and it is for either petrol or diesel. And finally always have your Car Oil  checked after a long or speedy journey.

 

tyres and car servicing

Independent Car Care Centre Halifax West Yorkshire

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Independent Car Care Centre

This year 2020 at Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre will be our 37th year in business. To celebrate we are holding a huge party for our customers and suppliers. Consequently, who have supported us over the past years. In that time we have tried any many different trade associations to better us and the customer experience, by offering different things that would improve their experience when visiting our garage for tyres servicing or indeed general repairs.

The two organizations that we are currently associated with are the best that I have had the pleasure to deal with.

5 years of care

We have been an Independent now for five years and have benefited our customers with the service that they offer. They consist of a blend of normal type garages, fast fit centres and other motoring organizations and are the largest network in the country (UK).

Because we are all independent garages we probably carry out car servicing in slightly different ways, but we all work in the same ethical way offering our customers a top quality service with genuine monetary savings, that we must adhere to as part of an independent quality car care centre.

We use top quality service schedules price list that are available online.

The price list says 2012, but we are sticking to these prices for the near future. On some car models we will use the Autodata car servicing manual to give us the exact requirements for the customers car’s needs. Just to mention it , we do have the computer equipment to correct and re-set any of the cars service lights when the service is completed.

Original Equipment Quality Parts.

Another bonus for our customers is that we use 90% of quality sourced parts to use on our customers cars. This ensures that we fit real quality parts when we carry out a service or repairs to our customers cars .We have to ensure the best parts because all our customers are covered by a  12 months parts a labor guarantee, which is applicable all over the mainland UK.

So if you are going on holiday. Say to Brighton from Halifax and you had a problem with some work that we carried out. Then you could take the car to the nearest Car Care Centre depot and the problem would be sorted out for you to carry on with your holiday, a great bonus for all the customers.

The second great organization that I have joined has been Point-S !

Operating an online tyre pricing system to compete with the other independent online tyre retailers. However, the difference is that the pricing system is to help us local businesses. So, compete with the huge national tyre retailers such as Kwikfit . When you buy a tyre through our www.pellontyres.co.uk buying system. So then the sale comes to us at local level. We are then contacted by the customer who arranges a date for the tyres to be fitted. This is a great system for a popular local tyre centre to compete with the big companies. Confidently, it also means that our customers have a choice from where they can buy from. Of course, knowing that if they have a problem in the future. Then they can still rely on our great service and guarantee system.

Both these partners to our business have helped us compete in this ever changing computer internet driven world many thanks.